Family of suspected lynched ‘witch’ blames Pelungu chief

The family of a woman who was lynched over suspicions of witchcraft on Sunday, May 28, has partly blamed the Chief of Pelungu, where the woman was killed for the incident.

The deceased, Yenboka Kenna, aged 67, was killed at the Pelungu market in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region by an angry mob that accused her of bewitching people in the area.

According to an elder of the family, Tibil Nyaabil, this murder would have been prevented if the chief of Pelungu, Naab Sierig Sore Sobil (IV) had accommodated her in his palace until the mob had dispersed.

“The deceased (Yenboka Kenna) came from church on Sunday and left for Pelungu market and was accused of being a witch by some youth, who later took her to the chief of Pelungu. At the chief’s palace, the chief Naab Sierig Sobil IV could not establish any evidence of witchcraft and advised that she should be taken home.”

“So Naab Sobil called relatives of the accused woman to his palace and briefed them on the situation and instructed that, they take their woman home. But considering the angry youth who had besieged the Chief Palace they (relatives of the deceased) insisted that the chief accommodate the accused woman till the youth leave the palace to enable them take their woman home but that, the Pelungu chief refused.”

“…So the accused woman was released to us (family members) and in the process of taking her home, the angry youth attacked us so we had to run for our lives and they beat her to death at the Pelungu market.  so the next morning(Monday), we went and saw her dead and reported to the Nabdam police who later released the body to the husband’s family of the deceased in Sakote for burial” Mr. Tibil stated.

But the Chief of Pelungu, Naab Sierig Sobil (IV) said when the woman was brought to her palace, he could not establish any evidence of witchcraft against her,  and thus called the chief of Tindongo to send a delegation to his Palace to send the accused woman home which was done.”

The Chief of Tindongo, Tindong-Taaran, confirmed that he sent a delegation to the chief’s palace, but alleged that, his delegation was beaten up in their quest to bring the accused woman home.

The Tindong-taaran added that, there was nothing he could do since no one had officially informed him about the lynching.

Meanwhile, police sources at the Nabdam district police station say investigations into the matter are ongoing.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The family of a woman who was lynched over suspicions of witchcraft on Sunday, May 28, has partly blamed the Chief of Pelungu, where the woman was killed for the incident. The deceased, Yenboka Kenna, aged 67, was killed at the Pelungu market in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region by an angry mob that accused ... Read Full Story